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Beloved, gaze in thine own heart, The holy tree is growing there; From joy the holy branches start, And all the trembling flowers they bear. The changing colours of its fruit Have dowered the stars with metry light; The surety of its hidden root Has planted quiet in the night; The shaking of its leafy head Has given the waves their melody, And made my lips and music wed, Murmuring a wizard song for thee.
William Butler Yeats
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote speaks to the deep connection between love and the beauty of nature, suggesting that love is fundamental and transformative.

In this quote, William Butler Yeats expresses the idea that love is rooted deeply within us, metaphorically represented by a holy tree that grows in the heart. The imagery illustrates how love brings forth joy and creativity, manifesting in the beauty of nature and music, while also providing a sense of peace and stability, highlighting love's profound impact on our existence.

Themes

LoveNatureBeautyJoyMusicHeart

In practice

Example use cases

In a wedding speech, one might quote this to express the beauty of love in a relationship.

More from William Butler Yeats

If a poet interprets a poem of his own he limits its suggestibility.
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How far away the stars seem, and how far is our first kiss, and ah, how old my heart.
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For he would be thinking of love Till the stars had run away And the shadows eaten the moon.
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Love is created and preserved by intellectual analysis, for we love only that which is unique, and it belongs to contemplation, not to action, for we would not change that which we love.
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